2023 BMW X4 M Competition POV Nurburgring lap (with traffic), bridge to gantry. Check out our full Nurburgring feature story here for more: drivingenthusiast.com.au/2023...
2023 BMW X4 M Competition specifications:
375kW (510PS) / 650Nm, 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-6
8-speed auto transmission with all-wheel drive
Claimed 0-100km/h: 3.8 seconds
Official average fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Boot space: 525L/1430L
Price: AU$182,500 (not including on-road costs, at time of upload)
You've probably heard of the Nurburgring, especially if you're a keen driving enthusiast. This is an almost sacred place where car manufacturers and industry engineers have been honing their equipment for decades. But for a short portion of every year it is open to the public.
The Nordschleife, or 'north loop' is the longest and oldest part of the circuit, while the modern Nurburgring is where high-end motorsport still takes place today, like the Formula 1 and other big FIA events. However, the north loop is not part of the F1 calendar anymore but it still hosts some very significant races, including the Nurburgring 24 Hour.
Although it is known as a public toll road, the Nordschleife is very much a racing circuit at heart. You only need to drive on it once to experience the speed and thrill it brings. During the open days, called touristenfahrten, enthusiasts not only from Germany but all over Europe hit the track, often in modified cars and take on the 160-or-so corners.
Yep, there are that many. Every corner and every section has a name too, often relating to the surrounding region. That's because the track is 20.8km long; you literally drive through a number of totally different villages and boroughs.
During the warmer months of the year the circuit is usually open around three weekdays per week and at least one day on the weekend. During the weekdays it is used for various events, including driver training, club racing, and used by manufacturers for prototype testing.
We stayed in one of the surrounding towns during a recent trip, in Adenau, where the track literally crosses over the village, I did around nine laps in a 2023 BMW X4 M Competition. This was my fourth time at the circuit, after previously completing some laps years before in a 2008 Opel Corsa, a 2014 BMW 520d Touring, and a 2017 BMW M3.
In the X4 M I managed an 8:15 on my second lap, however, I was still getting used to the vehicle (and the circuit) so I know there is definitely more left in it. A video is posted up on my old KZfaq channel, PDriveTV, showing that lap. My subsequent efforts on different days of the trip were cleaner, however, there was a lot more traffic which made it hard to improve on my time...
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